


Carpe diem

by rockwell_psycho



Category: Box of Moon Light (1996)
Genre: Comfort, Cuddling & Snuggling, Eventual Romance, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Kissing, Light Angst, Memories, Mild Sexual Content, Nostalgia, One Shot, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-13 21:09:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17495417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rockwell_psycho/pseuds/rockwell_psycho
Summary: "You smiled and at the same time felt a slight pang of sadness. You missed him. Actually you didn’t even realized how badly you missed him all this time until today. You stroked the photograph with your fingertips, memories flowing through your mind.Memories of your last summer."





	Carpe diem

The forest didn’t change much. It was the same as a year ago, and a sense of nostalgia hit you exactly the moment you stepped on that path you used to know so well. You felt some kind of nervous excitement as you were following it. What were you going to find? What if you wouldn’t find what you were hoping for?..  ** _Who_**  you were hoping for…

Here’s that familiar meadow, half of a trailer standing there, and lots,  ** _lots_**  of other stuff. An old TV-set, a sofa and an armchair. A couple of beds. Boxes, books, toys and weird statues. Twinkle lights hanging around on the trees. There was an absolutely crazy mess around and you had no idea how it was possible to find anything here. And yet… You always thought this place was incredibly cozy. 

You walked carefully, looking around. Your fingers brushed against an old garden gnome and a gentle smile touched the corners of your lips. But… It was so silent here. Despite the usual chaos there was no sign of its owner.

\- Bucky… - You called out quietly, as if you were afraid to disturb the silence of the forest.

You walked back to the trailer and sat on the edge of the bed with a sigh. There were a bunch of pictures stuck onto a part of the wall next to you. Some old childhood photos and just pictures cut out of magazines. One of them caught your eye. You took it carefully in your hand as if it was alive somehow. It was a little fade and crumpled, but still good. Sunshiny summer. Your a bit surprised and awkwardly embarrassed expression as a guy in an old coonskin cap kisses your cheek. You smiled and at the same time felt a slight pang of sadness. You missed him. Actually you didn’t even realized how badly you missed him all this time until today. You stroked the photograph with your fingertips, memories flowing through your mind.

Memories of your last summer.

***

You weren’t sure why you decided to spend that summer at your grandma’s house. You used to visit her every summer when you were a child, but as you grew older these visits became shorter and rarer. But you had a really difficult year. You studied hard and worked hard, lost the job, found the new one… Basically, you felt like your whole life consisted of working and studying. You got tired and stressed, and you felt the urge to go somewhere far from all these. From the big city and all the routine. You just wanted to relax and to experience this feeling of nonchalance and freedom you used to have in your childhood… Or at least something similar to it. You also remembered beautiful landscapes at this place so you could make some beautiful photographs. You loved photography a lot, not only taking pictures, but also developing photos - there was a certain magic in it. It saddened you that with your work and studies you had no time for this hobby, and you were really looking forward to long walks around your grandma’s neighborhood with your camera.

Your grandma was really excited about your arrival too. She prepared you a room where you used to stay as a kid, and after all the hustle and bustle of the city you enjoyed the peace and quiet of this place to the fullest. First days you mostly slept and read a lot. Then you started to go for walks around town. You met some people you used to know and it was nice, though unfortunately your friends from the childhood either moved somewhere from here, or became so different from you that you could hardly find any common topics for a conversation.

After a couple of weeks you got a bit bored and decided to explore the surroundings. Someone told you there was a beautiful lake in the nearby forest. The weather was quite hot those days and to have a little swim seemed like a great idea. You packed your backpack, took some snacks, water, a light blanket and a swim suit, of course your camera, and started your hike.

The forest was a beautiful place. You felt great just walking there under big shady trees, enjoying fresh air filled with scents of herbs and flowers, taking photographs of wild berries and rays of sunshine playing in the leaves… Until you realized it was late and you got completely lost. You haven’t found the lake and it seemed like you were walking in circles actually. You started to panic a little, but kept walking in hopes to meet someone who would show you the way out of the forest.

Suddenly you came across a trailer. You heard some rattling sounds behind it, so you went to check if the trailer’s owner was here. Maybe they could help you? As you went round the trailer you froze in place. First of all - there was only a half of the trailer. Second – there was a large meadow filled with so many different things… It looked like a teenager’s bedroom but way more surreal. You were just standing there and looking around in astonishment, as a sudden voice made you flinch.

\- Hey, who are you? And what are you doing in my house?

You turned around and saw a young man who definitely looked a bit weird. His look could be described as a crazy mix of a hippy and a boy scout. The outfit he was wearing reminded you of Indians from old westerns a bit; he had rather long hair under his coonskin hat and very old classic chucks on his feet. He had a gun on his shoulder, yet he didn’t seem angry or dangerous, just surprised. His big green eyes were bright and curious.

\- Oh, I… - You stumbled. - I didn’t really want to break into your uh… house. I was just looking for a lake, got lost in these woods and now I have no idea where’s the way out, so maybe you could um… help me a bit?.. - You smiled at him awkwardly.

\- Sure! - The guy beamed at you enthusiastically. - I know this forest as well as my ten fingers! But I have one condition.

\- What? - You frowned.

\- You need to help me with my dinner.

Having said this, the guy stepped aside and revealed you a small cage. There was a rabbit sitting inside of it. It looked at you with its big frightened eyes, pressing its long ears to its head.

\- Wh… What’s that? - You asked again, completely baffled.

\- Can’t you see? It’s a rabbit. I set a trap and caught him. Myself! - He gave you a triumphant glance.

\- You wanna eat this rabbit for dinner?..

\- I guess.

\- Are you crazy?.. No way. I’m not gonna kill a rabbit, - you shook your head.

\- Well than, I’ll do it. And you just help me to cook.

\- You won’t, - you said firmly. For some reason you were sure of that.

\- Of course I will! - The guy took a gun from his shoulder and pointed it at the poor animal. For a split second you tensed, ready to squeeze your eyes shut. But…

\- Oh shit, you’re right, I think I won’t… - he mumbled, putting the gun down.

\- Wise decision, - you replied, relieved.

\- But what am I supposed to do with him now?.. - You had no idea why this weirdo was asking  _you_  about that.

\- Umm, I think you should just let him go…

\- Right, of course, - he grabbed the cage. - Let’s bring him back to where I caught him.

\- Why don’t you just let him out right here? - You asked, frowning.

\- Don’t want him to get lost, obviously.

\- Seriously? - You raised your eyebrows. - You wanted to kill him like a minute ago!

\- Yeah, well… If you decide to be kind, be kind until the end, - he shrugged.

\- Fair enough, - you nodded after a moment of hesitation. It was definitely the weirdest conversation you’ve had so far in your entire life. A half of a trailer… a rabbit… this weirdo… What in the hell was going on?.. Were you Alice in Wonderland who’s just met the Mad Hatter?..

***

A few minutes later the two of you were looking how the happy rabbit was scurrying away, finally free.

\- Great. Spent the whole day to catch this rabbit and now I have no dinner… Happy now? - The guy muttered.

\- I can share with you my last sandwich if you want, - you suggested.

\- Nevermind, I was kidding, actually, - he gave you a cheerful grin. - Of course I’ve got food. I’ve got a big bag of marshmallows at home! But… It’s not really cool to eat marshmallows at the fire alone, you know… Wanna join me?..

Okay, that was already a bit too much.

\- Look, - you said, trying not to sound annoyed. - It’s nice of you, really, but I don’t even know you…

\- Oh, damn! With this rabbit I totally forgot! My bad, - the guy extended his hand for a handshake. - Name’s Bucky. But you can call me the Kid. My friends call me that.

The smile on his face was honestly contagious so you just had to smile back.

\- Bucky. Okay, I’m y/n, - you shook his hand. - Listen uh… It’s good that we know our names now, but still… What if you’re a psycho or something? A maniac or a rapist…

\- You’re kidding, right? - Bucky laughed simple heartedly. - Do you realize what a small town it is? If there was a maniac in the forest, you would already hear lots of rumors. And probably my place would have already been burnt down or something.

\- Sounds like true… - you had to admit.

\- Plus I actually had plenty of time to kill or rape you already if I wanted to.

Damn, he was right.

\- Okay, okay, I believe you, you’re a nice guy, - you replied soothingly. - I’ll join you for a couple of marshmallows if you show me the way to town afterwards. Because I’m really lost.

\- Yes, of course! - He smiled brightly at you. - I’ll accompany you right to your door if you want me to… And if you don’t, I will anyways!

*** 

You woke up, rubbing your eyes. It must have been early morning; the air was clear and fresh… Wait a second. You straightened yourself abruptly. Oh no! You must have fallen asleep.

Yes, totally.

As you accepted Bucky’s invitation yesterday and got back to his place, it started getting darker already. Bucky fumbled for a few seconds with some switches and soon the whole meadow lit up by hundreds of twinkle lights of different colors. It was a bit weird to sit in an armchair in the middle of the forest, bake marshmallows at the fire and watch some black and white movie on an old TV-set… But you couldn’t remember the last time you felt that cozy and warm. Bucky turned out to be a really nice guy. You talked and laughed as if you knew each other forever and you completely forgot about time. But after such an eventful day you felt really tired. Your eyelids were becoming heavy and the crackle of firewood and quiet sounds from the TV-set probably lulled you to sleep. You didn’t wake up even when Bucky carefully tucked you up with a blanket.

And now you found yourself in the same armchair in front of the TV. Your first thought was about your grandma who most definitely worried about you.

\- Hey, you awake? - You heard. Bucky approached you, smiling cheerfully. - What’s wrong?

\- Oh, nothing… - You gave him an awkward smile. - But… Bucky, can you just show me the way to town, please? I really have to go.

\- Without breakfast? - He frowned. - Nope, I won’t let you go without having breakfast.

\- That’s sweet. But the thing is, I’m staying at my grandma’s and she’s probably going crazy right now…

\- Call her than. I’ve got a phone.

\- You do?..

\- Yeah. There, in the trailer. Go call her and I’ll make us breakfast, - he winked.

***

The situation with your grandma was fixed and cookies with milk for breakfast have never been tastier.

Afterwards Bucky kept his promise and really accompanied you almost to your porch.

\- Listen, umm… You haven’t found the lake yesterday, right? - He asked.

\- No, I haven’t…

\- So how about me showing you where it is? - Bucky suggested. - I can drop in tomorrow morning and we’ll go there together. How about that?

You liked his smile. There was something innocently childish but also adorably mischievous about it.

\- Why not? I’m in, - you nodded.

\- Awesome! - He grinned happily. - See you tomorrow than!

\- See you tomorrow.

***

This is how your friendship started. Since then, you saw each other every day. Even when you were busy with something, there was always some time for him. You dove and swam in the lake, had picnics, walked around the forest and town. As you told him about your love for photography, he showed you many beautiful places and you made lots of pictures. Together you helped your grandma in the garden and with grocery shopping. You played some old board games on rainy days. You read him passages from your books and he told you dozens of funny stories, half-true half made-up. In the evenings you sat at the fire, ate sausages or marshmallows, drank wine which was cheap, but you enjoyed every sip of it. You watched old TV-shows or movies or simply looked up at the stars. It was an amazing summer. The summer you felt like you were a child again. You didn’t want it to end, but that day was getting closer and closer.

On the last night of your vacation you brought him the photographs you’ve made and developed yourself at your grandma’s dark basement.

\- Wow, these are cool, - Bucky laughed. There was a bunch of pictures of you together. On one of them he was unexpectedly kissing your cheek and your face looked really funny and confused. On the second photo you were giving him a playful punch and you both were laughing happily.

\- Here, you can have it, - you said, handing him the first photo.

\- Really?

\- Yeah. I still can print one more for myself. I just want you to have something that would remind you about me, - you paused for a moment. - Bucky, I just wanted you to know how thankful I am.

\- For what?

\- For this summer. For everything.

\- Why do you always call me Bucky? You can call me the Kid, actually, as my friends do…

\- I like Bucky. You’re not just a “kid”. You have a name and it’s a nice one.

He smiled.

\- Whatever you wish.

You sat there for a while in silence.

\- Want some oreos? - He suggested, handing you a large bag of cookies he was holding.

You shook your head no. You wanted to cry but tried not to pay attention to the lump in your throat.

\- You’re sad, - Bucky stated, placing his hand on your shoulder and looking at you with concern. - What are you thinking about?

\- I so don’t want to leave… You have no idea, - you replied bitterly.

\- Well… Don’t leave than?

\- I wish, - you turned your head to look at him. - But… My whole goddamn adult life is there… I have to work to continue my studies, to get a better job… Seems like it would never end.

\- I think you should do more of what you love. I mean… Look at these pictures! You’re a great photographer. You should spend less time at your boring job and lessons and do this more.

\- But I have to think about future…

\- Why? - You looked at him questioningly as he continued. - I mean I don’t think about future. I think it kinda ruins the moment, you know. Life’s here and now.

-  ** _Carpe diem_** … - You whispered.

\- What?..

-  _Carpe diem_ , - you repeated. - It’s in Latin. Means “seize the day”, “seize the moment”.

\- Oh. Well, I don’t know any Latin, but it’s true. And thinking of future doesn’t let you doing it. Doesn’t let you enjoy.

\- But I can’t quit thinking about it at all…

\- Okay, yeah, it’s not that easy. Only chosen ones like me can do it, - Bucky laughed, but then looked at you suddenly softly and quite seriously.

\- You can try it though. Just for tonight. Look, it’s a lovely evening. We’ve got wine, we’ve got these stars above us… It’s so cool! So, how about not thinking about tomorrow and just enjoy the moment?..

His smile never failed to fill you with warmth.

\- Okay, - you replied, smiling back. - Let’s try it.

You looked at each other, sitting on the sofa in the middle of the forest, under hundreds of twinkle lights above your heads, and this moment was so perfect you knew it would stay in your heart forever.

\- I wanna kiss you, - Bucky said suddenly. - Here and now.

\- Why don’t you do it?

Smirking, he moved closer, his hand reaching out to cup your cheek. He leaned in, and you felt his lips on yours, soft and warm. They tasted a little bit like chocolate because of these oreos he’d just eaten. You could feel some crumbs on his lips and for some reason it caused a tender feeling inside your chest. Parting your lips, you let him kiss you deeper, shivering as your tongues touched and he hummed softly against your mouth, savouring the sensation.

He drew back for a second and then leaned in to place another kiss on your upper lip, then lower.

\- Just one more, - he laughed, kissing you again. - And one more, - he kissed the corners of your mouth. - Can’t stop!

\- I don’t really want you to stop, - you hushed, kissing him back.

***

You didn’t stop at just kisses. It was clearly not enough. A year later the flashbacks of that night were still making you shiver.

You remembered his warm breath as his lips trailed down your skin, gentle nips on your collarbones. Your fingers entangled into his hair and those mischievous sparkles in his green eyes as he looked up at you, kissing your thighs. You stroking up and down his spine. Sighs and hoarse whispers against your ear. The way his heart beat faster next to yours as the sweetest waves of pleasure rippled through your entire being making your body tense and melt again and again. The way he held you tightly, nuzzling into your hair…

It felt good. Soft. Gentle. Loving. It felt right. You didn’t care about tomorrow. All you cared of was this connection between the two of you. Not just physical, but something way bigger than that. Yes, it had to happen. And you didn’t regret a single second. You knew it was right.

***

You woke up early and watched the first rays of morning sunshine lighting up the tops of the trees, snuggling close to each other, and he was holding your hand all the time.

Then you left.

You missed him so much it hurt at first. But little by little your usual routine started consuming you. He called you a few times and you were more than happy to hear his voice. But as the time went by, you realized you thought about him less often.

You never forgot about him completely though. He was always somewhere in the back of your mind. You could still feel this connection. And you didn’t forget his unintentional advice. You kept studying, but you also tried and managed to find time for photography. You even managed to take part in an exhibition and were really proud of yourself. You knew he’d be proud of you too.

The year has passed and you already knew where you wanted to spend your summer. Even though you were pretty nervous about it. You haven’t heard from Bucky for a while by now, and worried that it might not be the same. That you won’t be able to bring back the feelings you’ve experienced a year ago.

And now you were sitting here, at this same place where he hugged you and held your hand. Where you spent so many nights talking and laughing together. You remembered it as if it happened yesterday and at the same time it felt like ages ago. You looked at the old photograph and the image was becoming blurry as you felt your eyes tearing up.

\- Hey! Who are you? And what are you doing in my house?

You turned to see him, a happy wide grin on his face. Didn’t change at all, your Mad Hatter in a coonskin cap. As if you never leaved at all.

You rushed into his arms and his warm embrace felt like home.

\- I missed you so much, Bucky.

\- Missed you too, y/n. So glad you’re here! Want some oreos?..


End file.
